Mental and emotional health news from aidsmap

In an era of widespread HIV treatment and undetectable viral load, stigma remains a persistent feature in the lives of almost half of people living with diagnosed HIV in the UK, according to findings from The ...

To what extent do gay men modify their sexual risk behaviour
after testing HIV positive? Two Australian surveys conducted over the last few years have
found that in the immediate aftermath of diagnosis, gay men considerably reduce
the number ...

Rather than treatment side-effects having a negative impact
on people’s quality of life when they start HIV treatment, data from the large
randomised START study show a modest but statistically significant improvement
in quality of life, the recent Conference
on ...

Retention in HIV
care among patients with mental health and/or drug and alcohol problems can be
improved with a telephone-based support intervention, but only if staff are
able to establish regular contact with patients, investigators from the United
States report ...

HIV-negative gay men who have several symptoms of depression
are more likely to report sex without a condom, according to a study presented to the British Association for
Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) conference in Glasgow yesterday.Several past ...

A large survey of people attending HIV clinics in the UK has
found that those individuals who chose not to disclose their HIV status to
other people were no more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety, to ...

A quarter of Scottish gay men who are newly diagnosed with
HIV or a rectal sexually transmitted infection (STI) report two or more
vulnerabilities such as problematic alcohol use, low self-esteem, mental
health problems, social deprivation or experience of ...

People living with HIV
in the UK have poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to
individuals in the general population, according to research presented at the recent Joint Conference of BHIVA (British HIV Association) with BASHH (British ...

Although legal and social equality for gay people is further
advanced in the Netherlands than in most other countries, Dutch gay men have
much higher rates of psychological distress than heterosexual men, Sanjay Aggarwala
and Rene Gerrets write in ...

Depression does not influence hepatitis C
treatment outcomes in people co-infected with HIV, according to the results
of a small study conducted in Brighton and presented to the recent European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) ...

Young gay and bisexual men are twice as likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than older people with same sexuality, a study has found. Those under the age of 26 were six times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm compared to men over 45. But living in London or with a partner were both found to boost mental health.

For the first time in generations, we have a chance to reclaim our sexual personality. For so long, sex brought death; now, sex can bring us to life again. Bur first, we have to re-teach our emotional brains. We have to break free from our chains and re-imagine our sexuality. How can we do this?

Black gay men, in particular, are bearing the brunt of these intersecting factors, leading them to experience higher rates of depression as well as increased HIV risks and negative health outcomes, including early death. Bottom line: Depression is teaming up with HIV to kill black gay men. But why?

PACE, the LGBT+ mental health charity, will close at the end of January 2016 due to lack of funding. Founded in 1985 PACE has provided support services for the LGBT+ community for over 30 years delivering counselling, advocacy, training, youth work, research and mental health support services.

Chronic illnesses can impact anyone, the secret is to manage yours. And to do that you need some specific skills. The people who are the most successful at managing their disease often do so by thinking of their illness as a journey or a hike down a path.

Stress may seem like an unavoidable consequence of daily life—with the top concerns being over money, work, family responsibilities and health concerns. And people with HIV—who may be facing a new diagnosis, challenges related to disclosure, or health concerns—may experience even higher levels. In addition to affecting mental wellbeing and day-to-day enjoyment, how do stressful life events impact people with HIV?

UK activist Angelina Namiba talks to Marie Claire about her HIV: "People still ask me ‘how I got’ HIV, almost assuming that I must have done something wrong. But HIV doesn’t discriminate, no matter whether you’re rich or poor, young or old, black or white, you name it. The fact that I have HIV is not because of what I did, it’s because of what I didn’t do. And what I didn’t do is what millions of young people are not doing in this world today – they’re not using a condom."

Life is better than ever for London's gay community. So why are some men indulging in drug-fuelled parties of weekend-long, often unsafe, sex with HIV rates on the rise? The writer Matt Cain believes the roots of the dark 'chemsex' scene touch us all.

NAM’s information is intended to support, rather than replace, consultation with a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team for advice tailored to your situation.

The Community Consensus Statement is a joint initiative of AVAC, EATG, MSMGF, GNP+, HIV i-Base, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, ITPC and NAM/aidsmap

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This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends
checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.

NAM’s information is intended to support, rather than replace, consultation with a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another member
of your healthcare team for advice tailored to your situation.